04 Mar #JLAdoesLBDI

Today the Junior League of Albany kicked off its second annual Little Black Dress Initiative fundraiser and hunger awareness campaign (“LBDI”), an initiative raising awareness for poverty and hunger and its impact on women and children in the Capital Region. The Junior League of Albany members will wear the same black dress/outfit for five consecutive days with a pin saying “Ask me about my dress” and use the power of their social media platforms to raise awareness and drive online donations.

The LBDI was established by the Junior League of London in 2014. During London Fashion week, the members of Junior League of London wore the same black dress each day to help raise funds and increase awareness of poverty in the city. The LBDI was such a success, the League called on other Junior League chapters to join the cause.

The ultimate goal of the LBDI is demonstrate the limits that poverty can play on citizens in our local community. As such, members hope to:

Raise awareness of the difficulties facing those who are in need and have few resources;

Understand how limited resources can affect daily life; and

Raise funds to support the mission of the JLA and to help us continue to provide funding, volunteer opportunities, and support to the local organizations we work with to alleviate and eliminate hunger and improve wellness among women and children in Capital Region.

Last year was the first year The Junior League of Albany joined the initiative. Over $10,000 was raised and donated to Capital Roots to provide funding for their local programs to facilitate providing nutritious food to children all year long. Capital Roots is a local non-profit that works to works to reduce the impact of poor nutrition on public health in New York’s Capital Region by organizing community gardens, providing healthy food access, offering nutritional and horticultural education for all ages and coordinating urban greening programs.

This year the goal will be to raise another $10,000 or more for the Junior League of Albany to continue to support its mission and work in the Capital Region.

“Our Little Black Dress Initiative lays bare the underlying and overwhelming unmet needs in our community and continues to successfully expose the time honored commitment of the JLA to meet these needs. This year we are bringing to light the food insecurity and poverty in our community in an effort to combat both locally” said Junior League of Albany President, Carol Crummey McCardle.

JLA invites you to follow our members this week and join in the three social fundraising/awareness events planned throughout the campaign as well as win tickets for raffle prizes made available for any donations over $50.00.

You can follow along with the initiative on social media by using the hashtags: #JLAdoesLBDI and #awarenessisthenewblack or join the campaign and/or making a donation to the Little Black Dress Initiative at https://jlawearsblack-2019.causevox.com/.

About the Junior League of Albany, Inc.

The Junior League of Albany, Inc. is a member of the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI). AJLI reaches out to women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism. The primary goal of the Junior League of Albany is to promote volunteerism, develop the potential of women, and improve the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.